Homemade Tandoori Masala

Make your very own Homemade Tandoori Masala with this simple and easy step by step recipe. Once you try it, you’ll never use store bought again! Vegan and gluten-free spice mix.

Homemade Tandoori masala is an authentic spice mix used in Indian cooking to flavor meals prepared on the grill, or in the oven. A few tablespoons of this spice mix adds a smoky flavor to any dish – veg or non-veg. This spice blend can be found at your nearest Indian grocery store but taste may vary according to brand.

When it comes to homemade from scratch recipes, I have a long list of spices that I like to make at home including garam masala powder, homemade sambar powder, chana masala and many more. I believe that nothing beats the aroma of a homemade spice mix – so fresh, aromatic and melded with flavors.

Homemade spice mixes add a personal touch to any dish and the flavor is so much richer and better than the store bought ones. I love the contrasting flavors that homemade spices offers in every bite.

I know some of you might be thinking why bother to make homemade when we can find one in store? Well the answer is simple. Homemade spice mixes has –

✔ No artificial ingredients and preservatives

✔ Tastes wonderful

✔ A spice mix that matches your taste buds

✔ It’s fresh

✔ and above all it’s homemade just the way you like it!!

This homemade tandoori masala is a basic recipe that is prepared with dry spices that you can find easily in your pantry (leaving out a few). Rest of the spices can be found at your local Indian grocery store.

My method is to grind all the spices to their powdered form, dry roast them and as they start emitting their aroma take it off the flame. Allow to cool completely and later store in an airtight container. It just takes under 15 minutes (14.36 minutes to be more precise) to make a big batch of your very own seasoning.

Some spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, adds a warm and distinctive flavor to this spice mix. But if you find these spices too strong or overpowering than feel free to add or subtract the quantity. I understand that everyone has a unique taste and may not like a particular spice in their food, so go ahead and customize to one’s liking.

Homemade Tandoori Masala is very versatile spice mix Use this spice mix to flavor any veggies, paneer, tofu or non-veg dishes like Tandoori chicken, paneer tikka masala and more goodies coming your way soon.

ingredients :MAKES APPX. 1 CUP OF TANDOORI MASALA

2 teaspoon Ginger powder

2 teaspoon Garlic powder

1 teaspoon Nutmeg powder

1 teaspoon Dry Red food color or dry beetroot powder (see above pic)

1 tablespoon Kasthoori methi or Fenugreek seeds

2 -4 Cinnamon sticks

2 teaspoon Cloves

2 teaspoon Mace

3 tablespoon Cumin seeds

4 tablespoon Coriander seeds

2 teaspoon Black peppercorns

2 teaspoon Black cardamom

2 teaspoon Green Cardamom

Salt to taste

method :

Leaving the top 4 ingredients (all powdered spices- ginger powder, garlic powder, red food color, nutmeg powder) combine all the solid ingredients and toss them in a grinder and grind them to its powdered form – very fine.

Sieve the blended through a sieve. If there is some coarse particles left behind in the sieve, then blend it again and sieve again.

Heat a heavy bottomed pan on a low flame. Combine the freshly-ground spices and all powdered spices- ginger powder, garlic powder, red food color or beet root color, nutmeg powder and dry roast all the spices for 2-3 minutes on low flame or until it starts emitting its aroma.

Do not leave the powdered spices unattended on the flame. Keep stirring constantly until it starts emitting its aroma. Take it off the flame.

Allow it to cool down completely.

Store in an airtight container and good for 5-6 months.

Your homemade tandoori masala is ready for future use.

I find this method (grind the spices first and dry roast them) to be more effective. But feel free to try the original method where all the whole spices are dry roasted first until it starts emitting its aroma.

These dry roasted spices are then ground to its powdered form. Later combined with other powdered spices (ginger powder, garlic powder, red food color, nutmeg powder) and mixed until well blended. Both ways works well.

39 Responses

I love the fragrance of this spice mixture while grinding. I don’t prepare Indian dishes but use this blend on potatoes and veggies to give an oomph. I must say this is better than the stuff I buy at the market, Thanks!

Not sure why people have to point the mistakes. Enjoy the effort that this person has put into. BTW, yum masala. I was looking for authentic tandoori masala and came across your blog through Pinterest. Must say you have amazing recipes. Thanks for sharing!

I like your diy approach! Also your willingness to correct. Must try this recipe. By the way, the verb is to grind, not to ground — that means something quite different. And the adjective is ground, not grounded, again that has a different meaning. Confusing!

I have close Indian friends I exchange food tasting with, who are good with hearing language suggestions, so I hope you are in the same sharing category, food and language!

Yes its possible.
For ginger powder – Peel and slice ginger. Add it to a baking tray and bake for an hour @200 degree F. It should feel crumbly and dry. Allow it to cool completely. Transfer it to a blender/grinder and ground it to its powdered form.
For Garlic powder – Peel garlic and spread it on a baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes @200 degree F until it feels crumbly and dry. Allow it to cool completely. Transfer it to a blender/grinder and ground it to its powdered form.
Other way would be let ginger and garlic dry naturally under the sun. This may take couple of days and full sun of 6 hours until they turn dry. Hope this helps. Thanks!

Leaving the top 4 ingredients (all powdered spices- ginger powder, garlic powder, red food color, nutmeg powder) COMBINE all the SOLID INGREDIENTS and TOSS them IN A GRINDER and GRIND THEM TO A POWDERED FORM – Very fine.
Sieve it through a strainer.
Heat a kadhai on low flame, combine the above mentioned dry spices along with freshly grounded spices and dry roast all the spices for 2 minutes on low flame. Once they start emitting their aroma take it off the flame.
Allow it to cool down completely and store it in an airtight container.
If you look again you are asking to GRIND the spices BEFORE roasting
Not being nasty but just wanted you to see you contradicting yourself.

Thanks for pointing out Alka, I looked at the wrong recipe (garam masala recipe) and replied. My apologizes!
Either way is fine. I have tried it both ways and the result is the same – dry roasting brings out their essential oils and result in a fragrant masala.

Monica, it’s homemade. To make it at home –
Peel and slice beets. Arrange them in a single layer and bake at 200 degree F for 2 hours or until crispy and dry.
Allow it to cool completely. Ground the dried beetroot chips to its powdered form. Homemade beetroot powder is ready.

Thanks for stopping by Carol! Glad you liked the recipe. Sometimes color additives are added in food color to attain a deep red color. But, if you are looking for a natural food color try beetroot powder and it words great. Lately, I have been using beetroot powder in my tandoori recipes and it gives a wonderful color to my dishes. Hope that answers your query!

Finally I have my hands on homemade Tandoori masala. Wonderful way of explaining and I second your thought nothing can beat a homemade stuff. You are my cooking star Ruchi. I love tandoori specialties but have no access to tandoori masala. You are my savior.Thanks

I have no Indian store in my province which sells tandoori masalee. Printed a list from your website, assembled all the raw ingredients and made my very own masalee for the first time.Loving it. Thanks!!